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Chandy criticises LDF policies

Staff Reporter

Says KSKTU’s parallel government in Kuttanad drives farmers to suicide

Chandy says LDF has failed rain-hit paddy farmers
BJP says relief package for farmers not sufficient

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy

ALAPPUZHA: Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy on Saturday alleged that the policies of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the “parallel government” run in Kuttanad by the Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilali Union (KSKTU) were driving farmers to suicide.

Talking to reporters after visiting the family of Pushkaran, a paddy farmer who committed suicide allegedly after suffering losses in the recent spell of rain at Edathua, near here, Mr. Chandy said the LDF was bleeding Kuttanad to a slow, tragic death by failing to provide proper relief to rain-hit paddy farmers.

‘Not sincere’

The reluctance of the government to accept the suicide of Gopi of Veeyapuram even after the Agriculture Department reportedly confirmed him as a farmer was proof that the government was not sincere in its efforts, he said. He criticised the KSKTU’s alleged reluctance to allow operation of combine harvesters even in areas where there was a genuine shortage of labourers.

Mr. Chandy criticized the crisis management machinery in the State. He also accused the State government of going back on its promise to procure the entire paddy crop irrespective of quality. The Opposition leader demanded that immediate arrangements be made to harvest the remaining crop and to procure the same.

Mr. Chandy also alleged that the KSKTU was obstructing harvest on the field of Shaji, on whose paddy field the UDF had begun a symbolic harvest near Kidangara on March 19. The UDF would make arrangements to help Shaji, he said.

On the Central team postponing its visit to the State to April 4, Mr. Chandy said he was surprised. The assurance given to him by the Union government was that the team would arrive on Friday. “It could be because of the CPI(M) Party Congress at Coimbatore and the CPI Party Conference at Hyderabad,” he remarked.

K.C. Venugopal, MLA; District Congress Committee president A.A. Shukoor; and UDF district chairman C.R. Jayaprakash, among others, accompanied Mr. Chandy.

BJP demand

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president P.K. Krishnadas demanded that the State government adopt the family of Pushkaran, a paddy farmer who committed suicide allegedly after suffering losses in the recent rains at Edathua near here.

Speaking to the media after participating in the funeral of Pushkaran, Mr. Krishnadas said the suicide of the farmer proved that the government’s so called relief steps were just not enough. While the immediate present was all dark for the Kuttanad farmer, the government was not doing anything to give him some hope for the future either, he said.

Apart from the colossal damage inflicted by the unexpected rain, the chaos, confusion and vagueness over the harvest and procurement steps of the government were causing more agony to the farmers. The government, which should hike the declared relief of Rs.10,000 per hectare, should also draw up a comprehensive plan to protect the rights of both the labourers and farmers and at the same time, one which ensures that the harvest is done without delays.

Mr. Krishnadas also accused the Union government of adopting a step-motherly attitude towards Kerala and said the Central team was mocking the public in Kerala by not assessing the damage without delay.

The BJP observed a hartal in the Kuttanad Assembly constituency protesting the government’s failure in preventing the suicide of Pushkaran.

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